Apparatus and method for removing contaminants from semiconductor copper electroplating baths

A copper plating system, comprising:

• a plating cell having a cathode substrate support member and an electrolyte solution bath having an anode disposed therein;
• an electrolyte storage tank configured to supply electrolyte to the electrolyte solution bath and receive used electrolyte from the plating cell via an electrolyte drain;
• and
• an electrodialysis cell in fluid communication with the electrolyte drain, the electrodialysis cell comprising:
• a cathode electrode positioned in a first end of the electrodialysis cell and an anode electrode positioned opposite the cathode electrode in a second end of the electrodialysis cell;
• and
• a plurality of depletion chambers between the cathode electrode and the anode electrode and a plurality of concentration chambers between the cathode electrode and the anode electrode.

A method for plating copper, comprising:

• supplying an electrolyte solution to a copper plating cell;
• plating copper onto a semiconductor substrate in the plating cell with the electrolyte solution;
• removing used electrolyte solution from the plating cell;
• and
• refreshing a portion of the used electrolyte solution with an electrodialysis cell.

A method for replenishing a copper plating solution, comprising:

• receiving a portion of a used copper plating solution in a first end of a depletion chamber of an electrodialysis cell;
• urging positively charged copper ions into a concentration chamber of the electrodialysis cell;
• urging negatively charged sulfate ions into the concentration chamber;
• generating concentrated copper sulfate in the concentration chamber;
• and
• returning the concentrated copper sulfate to the copper plating solution.

A copper electrochemical plating system, comprising:

• a plating cell having a substrate support member in electrical communication with a cathode source and an electrolyte solution bath having a anode source in electrical communication therewith;
• an electrolyte storage tank configured to supply electrolyte to the electrolyte solution bath and receive used electrolyte from the plating cell via an electrolyte drain, the electrolyte solution bath having copper sulfate therein as a source of copper ions to be plated;
• and
• an electrodialysis cell in fluid communication with the plating cell, the electrodialysis cell comprising:
• a chamber having a cathode electrode positioned at a first end and an anode electrode positioned at a second end, the first end being oppositely positioned from the second end;
• at least one depletion chamber positioned between the cathode electrode and the anode electrode;
• and
• at least one concentration chamber positioned between the cathode electrode and the anode electrode.